Locking device



A. L. SLEE LOCKING DEVICE Aug.- 6, 1935.

Filed Oct. 11, 1953 .5 Sheets-Sheet l A. L. SLEE LOCKING DEVICE Aug. 6,1935..

Filed Oct. 11 1935 0 s sheets-sheet 2 Aug. 6, 1935.- A. L. SLEE2,010,041

LOCKING DEVICE Filed Oct. 11, 1933 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 6,1935 UNITED STATE LOCKING DEVICE Arthur L. Slee, San Francisco, Calif.

Application October 11,

12 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in looking devices for locking oneor more legs in extended and/or folded position upon a table having aplurality of sets of nested folding legs, where each set containsseveral nested legs of several different lengths for supporting saidtable at several different elevations when certain legs are extendedinto operative or supporting position and the remaining legs are folded.

The primaryobject of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved leg-locking device for the type of folding table disclosed inUnited States Patent Number 1,891,734, issued to me on the th day ofDecember, 1932. 1 Another object of the present invention is to providea locking means for a multi-legged folding table which will beautomatically actuated by the simple expedient of extending or releasingthe usual standard type of folding leg-brace to positively lock andunlock both folded and extended legs in or from their respectivepositions, thereby eliminating the necessity for additional operationsin the manipulation of the table.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved locking device of the character set forth, having a. maximumsimplicity and economy of operation and construction to reduce the costof manufacturing and assembling the device upon any standard foldingcard table.

. I accomplish theseobjects by means of the improved device disclosed inthe accompanying drawings, in whichi Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partlyin section, of a multi-legged folding table, disclosing my improvedlocking device attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken view, partly in section, of the upperright-hand portion of Fig. 1; u Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line3-3 of Fig. 2; l Fig. 4 is a side elevation projected from Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-'-5 of Fig. 2 butillustratingthe dotted releasing instead of the full line lockingposition of the locking device; and

. Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 2 with the top portion of the tableremoved and the locking device disclosed in folded position. 1

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l is used to designate the top orrails of a multilegged folding table of the type referred to in theabove mentioned patent, reference: to which is hereby made for a fulldisclosure.

The usual table legs! are nested, when the table isset to full height,within intermediate channel 1933,;Serial No. 693,083 (Cl. 311 -95) legs3 which legs 3 are in turn nested within the shorter legs 4, all of saidlegs2, 3 and 4 being pivotally mounted upon a common pivot 5 secured tothe table top'l at each corner thereof,

so that a table is provided with a plurality of 5 sets of nested legs,each set containing several legs of different lengths whereby said tabletop I may be supported at several different elevations above asupporting surface, by extending four legs of the same length, one fromeach set. By selecting different combinations of short legs on twocorners of the table and'longer legs upon "the other side orcorners,various inclinations and elevations may be obtained for variouspurposes. The usual type of folding braces are employed which usuallyconsist of two arms 6 hingedly connected as at-"L One end of each'braceis usually pivotallyconnected to'the under side of the table I and theother end is plvotally connected, in the present instance, to theshorter channel leg 4, as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings.

On the back of each arm 61 have provided a hat spring latch 8 rigidlysecured to the adjacent'arm 6, said latcheshaving their free endsextending in opposite directions; That is to say, from the pivot 1toward the table top and legs respectivelywhen said brace is diagonallyextended to brace the extended or folded legs of the table. The saidfree ends are beveled or inclined as at 9 so that when thev brace 6 isdiagonally extended, the beveled endst9 .lie parallel 2 to andengagethe. inside of the extended legs and the. under side of any foldedlegs respectively. 'Ihese beveled ends 9. are also. laterally offset atan angle orrinclination to theplane of the arms .6 so that the" inclinedoffset and beveled end 9 will form a cam surface .with respect 'to thesides of the legs when said brace is partially, or wholly released asdisclosed in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the purpose of which willhereinafter be more fully set forth.

The free ends of the spring latches 8 are also provided. with extensionsII which rest against the outer sides of the legs 4 to limit the move- Iment of said latches and thereby effectively retain said-latches 8 inoperative position.

Owing to the thinness of the sheet metal channels from which the legs3and 4 are formed, the edges on the open sides of said channelseffectively seat themselves within the shoulder formed at the junctionof the bevel 9 and the extension II, as disclosed in the lower portionsof Figs. 3 and 4 of thedrawings. One corner of the solid leg 2, whenfolded and the legs 3, and 4 are extended, is also similarly engaged, asdisclosed in the upper portion of Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The stop B, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings, is the usualstop provided in standard braces for folding card tables to prevent thearms 6 from being moved past a longitudinally aligned or extendedposition and consists of a pair of struck-up lugs one on each armnesting one within the other. But such stop forms no part of the presentinvention and is entirely superfluous in View of the positive stopprovided by the beveled ends 9 of the spring latches 8 which engage bothfolded and extended legs and positively prevent the arms 6 from beingmoved beyond an extended or locking position.

In operation:

When it is desired to set the table to full height, all of the legs 2, 3and 4 of different lengths in each set are extended and as the braces 6are extended to secure said less n said extended or supporting position,the beveled surface 9 of each of the lower spring latches 8 is movedparallel to and engage the inner sides of the extended legs, asdisclosed in Figs. 2, 3 and 4: of the drawings, and the corners or edgesof the nested legs of each set are engaged by the shoulder formed by thenow parallel beveled ends 9 and the extensions H and positively lockedtogether in nested relation. Thus, the leg 2 will be eifectivelyreinforced by the channel 3 throughout approximately two-thirds of itslength, and the channel 3, in turn, will be effectively reinforcedthroughout approximately one-half of its length by the channel or leg 4,thus effectively reinforcing the leg 2 and producing a tapered effect toimpart greater rigidity and strength to said leg 2.

By partially releasing the braces '6 and folding all of the regular orstandard legs 2 ofrthe table 1 against the under side of said table andagain extending the braces 6, the, folded legs 2 will be automaticallyand positively locked in such folded position and the remaining nestedlegs 3 and 4 will be engaged and also automatically and positivelylocked together in extended or supporting position by the beveled ends 9-of the spring latches 8 which beveled ends are now parallel with thesides of the folded and extended legs by reason of the diagonal positionof the brace 6, as fully disclosed in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings.

If a lower elevation for the table I is desired, the braces 6 are againpartially released and the intermediate legs 3 are folded and nestedupon the already folded long. legs 2, said intermediate legs readilypassing the beveled ends 9 of the partially released springrlatches 8 tonest with said legs 2.

Should the operation be reversed at this position, that is to say,theshorter legs only have been previously used-and -it :is desired toextend instead of fold the intermediate legs, the legs 3 may readilyunfold and pass the beveled ends 9 of the partially released springlatches 3 as said beveled ends 9 in this position serve as'cam surfaceswhich, when engaged by the legs 3 in unfolding or in being extended,serve to recede said spring latches 8 and readily permitthe passage ineither direction of said legs 3.

If the arms 6 are now again extended, both folded legs 2 andnested'legs. 3 are automatically and positively "locked in foldedposition against the under side'of the table top I and extendedpositions, respectively'bythe beveled-ends 9 of the spring latches 8,which beveled ends are moved parallel to said legs by the normaldiagonal position of the extended braces 6.

When all of the legs are folded against the table top for storage ortransportation, the spring latches 8, by reason of their resiliency, arereadily squeezed between the folded arms 6 of the brace, as disclosed inFig. 6 of the drawings, which figure also discloses the open sides ofthe nested channel legs 3 and 4 and the leg 2 also nested therein.

Thus it will be observed that the mere normal operation of the braces ofthe standard type now in use with most folding card tables, operating inconjunction with the latches 8, will automatically and positively lookall legs of different lengths together and thereby impart greaterstrength and rigidity to said legs, when the full height of thetable isdesired, and will also automatically and positively lock all extended aswell as all folded legs when the braces and legs are moved to secure anintermediate or low elevation of the table.

, It is also obvious that the latches function and operate automaticallyin either direction, that is to say, to engage and positively lock, orto fully disengage and unlock, without other operation than themanipulation of the braces 6.

I claim:

-1. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of foldinglegs, each set containing legs of different lengths for supporting saidtable at difierent elevations, and also having a folding brace for eachset to hold one leg of said set in extended supporting position, ofmeans actuated by said brace. when extended, for looking together all ofthe legs of one set to impart greater strength and rigidity to saidlegs.

2. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of foldinglegs, each set containing legs of different lengths for supporting saidtable at different elevations, and also having a folding brace for eachset to hold one leg of said set in extended supporting position, ofmeans actuated by said brace, when extended, for locking together all ofthe legs of one set to impart greater strength and rigidity to saidlegs; and for automatically releasing said legs when said brace isreleased.

3. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of foldinglegs, each set containing legs of diiTerent lengths for supporting saidtable at different elevations, and also having a plurality of foldingbraces, one-for'eachset, to hold extended one leg of said set, of meansactuated by said brace for automatically locking another leg of said settogether with the extended leg and for locking another leg in foldedposition on said table when said brace is extended to locking position.

4. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of foldinglegs, each set containing legs of dilferent lengths for supporting saidtable at different elevations, and also havinga plurality of foldingbraces, one for each set, to hold extended one leg of said set, of meansactuated by said brace for automatically locking another leg of said settogether with the extended leg and for locking another leg in foldedposition on said table, when said brace is extended to locking position,and for automatically unlocking said extended and folded legs whensaidbrace is released.

5. The combination with-a table having a plurality of sets-of legs, eachsetcontaining legs'of difierent lengths for supporting said table :at

,idifierent elevations, and also having a :plurality offolding braces,one foreach set, to hold one 'of said legs extended, of latches, mountedupon each brace for engaging and locking either one or more of theremaining legs of the set to the extended leg, and for locking one ormore folded legs in folded position when said brace is extended.

6. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of legs, eachset containing legs of different lengths for supporting said table atdifferent elevations, and also having a plurality of folding braces, onefor each set, to hold one of said legs extended, of latches mounted uponeach brace for engaging and locking either one or more of the remaininglegs of the set to the extended leg, and for locking one or more foldedlegs in folded position when said brace is extended; and for releasingsaid extended and folded legs when said brace is released from extendedposition.

7. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of foldinglegs, each set containing several legs of different lengths whereby saidtable may be supported at several different elevations by extendingcertain of said legs and folding other legs of each set, said table alsohaving folding braces, one for each set, of spring latches mounted uponsaid braces and moved by said braces, when extended, to engage and locksaid extended and folded legs in their respective positions.

8. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of foldinglegs, each set containing several legs of different lengths whereby saidtable may be supported at several different elevations by extendingcertain of said legs and folding other legs of each set, said table alsohaving folding braces, one for each set, of spring latches mounted uponsaid braces and moved by said braces, when extended, to engage and locksaid extended and folded legs in their respective positions, and alsomoved to release said extended and folded legs when said brace isreleased.

9. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of foldinglegs, each set containing several legs of different lengths whereby saidtable may be supported at several different elevationsby folding certainlegs of the same length and extending other legs, of a folding bracehaving one end connected to said table and the other end connected toone of said legs of one set; and a plurality of means mounted upon saidbrace for automatically locking the folded and extended legs in theirrespective positions when said brace is extended.

' 10. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of foldinglegs, each set containing several legs of different lengths whereby saidtable may be supported at several different elevations by foldingcertain legs of the same length and extending other legs, of a foldingbrace having one end connected to said table and the other end connectedto one of said legs of one set; and a, plurality of means mounted uponsaid brace for automatically locking the folded and extended legs intheir respective positions when said brace is extended, and forautomatically releasing said extended and folded legs when said brace isreleased.

11. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of nestedfolding legs, each set containing several legs of different lengthswhereby said table may be supported at several different elevations byextending certain of said nested legs and folding the remaining legs,and also having a folding brace, one for each set, connected to saidtable and to one of the nested legs; and spring latches mounted uponsaid brace and having beveled ends for paralleling and locking theextended and folded legs when said brace is moved to extended position.

12. The combination with a table having a plurality of sets of nestedfolding legs, each set containing several legs of different lengthswhereby said table may be supported at several different elevations byextending certain of said nested legs and folding the remaining legs,and also having a folding brace, one for each set, connected to saidtable and to one of the nested legs; and spring latches mounted uponsaid brace and having beveled ends for paralleling and locking theextended and folded legs when said brace is moved to extended position,and for moving said latches and the beveled ends thereon to form camsurfaces when said brace is released, whereby said latches may bereceded to release the legs when said cam surfaces are engaged by saidlegs.

ARTHUR L. SLEE.

